


I Need You

by Book_freak



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Feelings, Gen, Pain, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 12:45:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16854217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_freak/pseuds/Book_freak
Summary: For the Horde to succeed, Adora needs to die. Catra needs to kill her. It's the only way this can end.





	I Need You

Catra snickered to herself, watching She-Ra fight off their squadron. It was perfect. Kyle and the others were more than enough to keep her attention as she tried not to hurt them, giving her _just_ enough time to…

_ZAP_

Adora cried out as the sword was ripped from her hands, blown backwards by the laser shot right into the middle of the battle.

Catra laughed mockingly, jumping down from the tree where she had taken the shot from. “Hey Adora.”

She glared. “Catra. Fighting fair as always.”

Catra scoffed, watching the squadron retreat. “You’re past talking about what’s fair when you’ve got a magic sword.” She smirked. “Or _had_ a magic sword.”

“I never needed it to beat you before.”

Catra hummed. “Let’s see then.” She said, then after a beat, violently flung herself forwards, claws bared.

Her smile widened when Adora jumped backwards, dodging her swipes with barely a chance to try fighting back. Adora had always won their sparring sessions, that was true, but they had never been fighting to hurt back then, and Adora didn’t have claws.

Right now she didn’t even have a stick to defend herself with.

Adora screamed in pain when Catra’s claws dug into her shoulder, cutting deep, and kicked her hard in the stomach to throw her back.

Catra landed on her feet and growled. She knew that Adora could hit harder than that. Even now she was holding back. “Aren’t you gonna call your new friends for help? Sure seems like you need it.”

Adora clutched her shoulder, blood quickly soaking her jacket. “I’m not- bringing them into this.”

Catra laughed, “What do you think this is, Adora? I know it must be hard for you to accept that this isn’t about _you,_ but it’s not! This is _war,_ and I’m taking out the enemy.”

Adora lunged at her, almost immediately being thrown sideways to the ground. “That’s not- all we are.” She gasped, scrambling for something, anything, to defend herself with. “No matter how much you want to- to pretend.”

Catra seized the front of her shirt, dragging her up. “I’m not the one pretending.” She whispered. “What, you think if you just keep asking, I’ll leave my whole life for you? You think that you can _save_ me?” She chuckled. “Newsflash, princess. I don’t need you.”

“Catra-”

Catra threw her to the ground, watching as she skidded a short distance and being stopped by a large rock, which her head banged against firmly. “Shut up.”

Adora didn’t move, her eyes closed, and Catra scoffed. “You think I’m gonna fall for that? Please, I _invented_ that move.”

Adora remained still, drawing a glare. “Get up.” Catra growled, anger bubbling up in her stomach, along with a creeping sense of unease. “I said _get up!”_

Nothing.

“Adora I swear if you don’t get up, I’m gonna _kill you!”_ Catra fell to her knees, grabbing her by her jacket lapels and shaking her. “Do you hear me?! _Adora!”_ Her voice cracked. This couldn’t be happening.

Her head lolled to one side and Catra felt her heart turn to ice. “Adora?”

Catra’s hands shook as she leaned her head closer, ears pricking up and trying to detect something, anything, over the din of the battle. Her eyes grew wide as she looked down at the motionless form beneath her. “A-Adora?”

But there was no response.

* * *

Adora woke with a pounding headache, groaning as her eyes were assaulted with what felt like very bright light. She squirmed, feeling something hard digging into her back. She must have left her sword on her bed again. Just as she tried to sit up and move it, a familiar voice jolted through her system.

“Stay down.”

Adora coughed, her brain sluggish and trying to catch up. “Catra? What’s going on?” She tried to move again and was this time restrained by a hand on her shoulder.

“I said stay down.”

She blinked her eyes open. Catra’s hand on her shoulder felt weird. Like it was cushioned behind something, like bandages. Actually, it did sting a bit.

All of a sudden, the memories came flooding back and Adora shot up with a gasp, flailing wildly in an attempt to get away.

She was immediately pushed back down when Catra jumped onto her stomach, pinning her with her hands. She glared. “Stay. _Down_. Don’t make me tie you.”

Adora glared right back at her. “Why, so you can give me to Hordak? Throw me in a cell?” She tried to break free but noticed quickly that she was far too weak. “You should have just killed me while I was unconscious.”

Catra growled, and something in her eyes told Adora that she’d hit a nerve. “Shut up.” She muttered darkly, reaching for something Adora couldn’t see. “And drink.”

She shoved a bowl up to her face, but Adora kept her lips firmly shut. “It’s _water._ You need to drink, you lost a lot of blood.”

“And whose fault is that?” Adora spat, turning her head to avoid Catra’s attempts to pour the water into her mouth. “I’m not gonna let you drug me just to take me prisoner and kill me later anyway. Just do it now and _get it over with!”_

“SHUT UP!”

Adora was met with the bowl of water being dropped, drenching her face and clattering to the ground, but the most striking thing was the desperate fury in Catra’s voice. A rawness she had never heard or seen before in all their years together.

Being careful of her shoulder, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, finally taking in their surroundings. Despite what she had expected, they weren’t back in the Frightzone. They weren’t even in a Horde tank or on a skip. They were alone in what looked like a ruined castle, and Catra was stalking back and forth with her back to her, tail lashing from side to side.

Adora coughed dryly, struggling not to wheeze. “What is going on?”

“None of your business.” Catra snapped, not looking at her.

She almost growled. “You just tried to kill me, I _think_ it’s my business.”

Catra’s hands clenched. “I didn’t _try_ to kill you, okay?” A bead of blood dripped from her fist. “I did.”

Adora’s breath caught in her throat. “What?”

“I _won._ I finally _beat_ you for good and I’d never have to see your face again and,” her voice hitched, “Without you the princesses’d be done for and everything was meant to be _perfect.”_

The princesses. _Glimmer._ “Are they-”

“Your friends are fine.”

Adora grunted, trying and failing to move further. “Why should I believe you?”

Catra turned her head to glare at her. “I don’t care if you believe me or not.” _Just keep breathing._ A weak voice inside her begged. _Never do that to me again._

Maybe some of that weakness showed on her face, but Adora’s hard look slipped. “Catra?”

She turned, stalking outside to get more water from the spring. Catra caught sight of her reflection in the pool and sighed. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn’t go back to the Horde. There was no excuse, no explanation she could give that would forgive this, and even if there were…

She looked down, balking at the sight of how much blood there was caked around her claws. Adora’s blood. It swirled in the water when she submerged her hands but didn’t fade from her claws completely. Catra tried to pick it away, but even that didn’t work. Tears burned her eyes. It seemed like the only thing she was good at was hurting people. Especially the ones that mattered.

“Catra?”

The voice made her jump a mile and Catra rounded on its owner with a loud growl. “I _told you_ to stay _down!”_ She hissed. “What part of that don’t you understand?!”

Adora gripped the huge marble doorframe, her arms shaking. “Tell me- what’s going on.”

Her shoulder twinged and before she could compensate, her grip on the door slipped. Adora winced, ready to crash to the floor, but she was surprised when a pair of strong, familiar arms caught her.

“Hey, take it easy.” Catra said, lowering her slowly to the ground.

Adora clung to her arm as best she could and was struck by the way Catra was looking at her. Wide eyes, watchful concern, and barely even a hint of malice. Adora hadn’t seen that kind of sincerity in her in so long. The person who was hiding under all the sarcasm and anger. Her best friend.

Knowing that Catra could throw that façade back up at any second hurt more than her shoulder ever could. “You saved me.”

“What?”

Adora shrugged, wincing as she did so. “It’s the only explanation that makes sense. You brought me here and bandaged my shoulder. Kept me safe.” She bit the inside of her lip. “I just don’t know why.” She had hopes though. Desperate, needy hopes.

Catra sighed, her tail curling around her self-consciously. “I know you don’t.” She muttered, bringing the bowl up to Adora’s mouth once more.

She took a sip, if only to buy some time. “Catra…”

“I do need you, okay?!” The words burst out of her in a rush, as if they couldn’t stay inside for a second longer. “I thought I could just hate you and get rid of you and I’d have everything I wanted, like- like I’d be happy once you were gone, but you weren’t breathing and I-I didn’t know what to _do._ ” She wiped her eyes with one clenched fist and sniffled. “Go ahead, rub it in.”

Adora hesitated, weighing her decision, then wrapped an arm around Catra’s shoulders, pulling her into a one-sided hug. “I love you too.”

The words felt like they cut a hole in her. Like every single iota of pain that she had felt since Adora had left her came back to bite her again all at once. Catra curled her legs up and rested her head on her knees, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. “I-I’m _sorry_.” She gasped.

Adora shook her head, turning to hug her with both arms. “No, don’t- don’t apologise. If you start apologising then I’m gonna start apologising, and then- I’m gonna start crying, and…” She fought to stay in control, but Catra was here and she was hurting and she _needed_ her.

It only took a moment for Catra to cling to her in turn, struggling not to crush Adora with her arms, being mindful of her injuries even as she fought to breathe through her sobs. It was impossible. She couldn’t hurt Adora anymore, couldn’t stay with the Horde and continue trying to bring her down. Not after seeing what that would look like. But the Horde were all she had, her only family. Without them… “What am I gonna do?” Catra mumbled, her tears drying and being replaced with a dull ache in her chest.

One of Adora’s hands come up to bury itself in her hair. “I don’t know.” She whispered. “You- you gave up everything to save me.” She took a deep breath to keep from crying again. “Thank you.”

Catra laughed bitterly, pulling away. “You wouldn’t have _needed_ saving if it wasn’t for me.”

“Fixing mistakes is harder than making them.” Adora said in a stuffy voice, wiping her eyes, knowing that her face was red and puffy from tears. Catra’s was, and it took away any menace she’d managed to build up. “Please- don’t try to go back.”

She scoffed. “As if I could.”

Adora grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. “Don’t try. You- we don’t know what they’ll do.”

Catra imagined for a moment and shivered. “Not like I’d give Shadow Weaver the satisfaction.” She muttered, completely failing to sound self-assured.

Adora’s grip on her hand weakened, but she didn’t let go. “If you want, I could- you could come back with me, to Brightmoon.”

Catra looked up at her, momentarily stunned. “You still want me to do that?” Now. Right after she had come so close to killing Adora that it made her feel like she might throw up, and she still wanted Catra to join her side.

Adora swallowed. “Always.” She murmured. “I’ll always want you with me.”

Catra shuddered. “I… I can’t go with you.” She said quietly. “Not right now.”

“I understand.” Adora said, but even as she said it, she could feel her eyes stinging. “I-I’m sorry.”

“You said no apologising.”

Adora laughed, wiping her eyes surreptitiously. “I’m sorry.” She said, laughing again when she realised what she’d done. “Sorry.”

Catra rolled her eyes and pulled herself away from the comfortable embrace, darting over to the spring to get more water. She was back just as quickly. “Drink. You need your strength back.”

Adora did, grasping Catra’s wrist as she guided the bowl to her mouth. By the time she had drained the bowl, her breath was short. “P-promise-”

“Hey, slow down.”

But Adora only pulled herself further up, taking in every aspect of her appearance as if to memorize it. “Promise me- this isn’t the last time I see you.”

Catra caught her other arm to support her. “I’m not going anywhere until you’re stronger.”

Adora coughed. “And- after that?” She asked, seeing the uncertainty in Catra’s eyes. “Promise that it won’t be goodbye forever.”

Catra moved closer, until their breath mingled and she was able to rest her forehead against Adora’s. “Promise.” She whispered, letting her eyes fall closed. “I’ll come home.”

Adora squeezed her eyes shut, “Thank you.” She murmured. “I need you.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I've literally just read ayushi_writes' fic 'but i still don’t wish death on ‘em (i just reflect on ‘em)' and noticed like. A ton of similarities that are honestly really unsettling to see between these two fics XD I can honestly say I hadn't even read their fic until I'd finished this (I read it right before posting), and also that their fic is outstanding and must be read by all <3


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